The Properties of Prayer

211. The powers and senses of the soul should not be employed altogether upon anything unless it be a matter which cannot be neglected ; for the rest, they should be unoccupied for God.

212. Wait lovingly upon God, without any desire to feel or understand anything in particular of Him.

213. Strive to attain to that state in which nothing is of importance to you, and you of importance to none, so that being utterly forgotten you may be with God in secret.

214. He who will not allow his desires to carry him away will wing his flight like a bird whose wings are strong.

215. Do not nourish your soul upon anything else but on God : repel the remembrance of things, let peace and recollection fill your heart.

216. If you would attain to holy recollection, it must be by rejecting, and not by admitting.

217. Seek by reading and you will find by meditating ; cry in prayer and the door will be opened in contemplation.

218. True devotion and spirituality consist in perseverance in prayer, with patience and humility, distrust ing yourself that you may please God only.

219. They call upon God in truth who pray for that which is most true : namely, that which belongs to their eternal salvation.

220. There is no better way to obtain the desires of our heart than to pray with all our might for that which is most pleasing unto God ; for then He will grant us not only our salvation, which we pray for, but also that which He sees expedient for us, though we may never ask for it, and though it may have never entered into our hearts to do so.

221. Let every soul understand that, although God may not succour it in its necessities when it cries, He will not however fail it when the time comes ; provided it does not lose heart and cease from prayer.